Started my cam chain replacement today. Got everything apart without too many problems.








Cam journals look pretty good. Just a bit of wear on the #1. I measured the old cam chain at a little over 357 mm. The new one 354 mm. So the old one definitely has some stretch. You could feel horizontal play between the links. Cam chain guides are pretty much FUBAR.

 

Any clunky parts to the old chain?

The new guides will really help the new chain too, that old guide was chewn up!

Thanks for the writeup. Great to see our members wrenching!

 

Scary part is the upper cam guide is no longer available from Honda. It's a good thing I've got a spare low mile donor motor.

Yeah, the old cam chain was requiring more and more frequent adjustments to get rid of the chain rattle. I took that as a sign the chain was stretching and nearing the end of it's life. But since these are interference engine, I didn't want to chance it breaking.

Never did find any info on the life/mileage of a cam chain. So at this point I figured it was due for replacement anyway.

 

Todays progress...adjust the valves.

Measured all the valve and they were all within spec...but

6 of the exhaust valves and 1 of the intakes were all at the lower limit.
Since valve tighten up, I'm going to reshim them anyway.
I don't want to be going back in again any time soon.

 

Ok, why is it every shim kit out there is only available in .05 increments.
And why do they all include a bunch of sizes that nobody will ever use.

You'd think by now someone would have put together a kit in .025 increments with a reasonable size range for sportbikes.

I ended up having to buy some single shims, which cost way more than they should.

 

Finally finished up all my work. Adj valves, new plugs, fixed air box, new carb boots, lots of bodywork repair, oil change, new headlight, and so on.

It fired right and purred like a kitten. New cam chain is quieter too.

I think I'm ready to get the wheels rolling again. Just in time for the nice weather next week.
Now I need to get the forks put back in the XX.